We are looking forward to our trip next month to southern Vermont! Fall is my favorite season in New England. The leaves should be spectacular, and if we are lucky, we will be able to go apple picking.
If we are really lucky, we may even pick up another kind of Apple!
This year marks the 7th annual Apple to iPods promotion by the Vermont Department of Tourism.
Specially-marked wooden apples are hidden in 15 pick-your-own apple orchards all over the state.
If you find one of the unique wooden apples, you’ll win an Apple iPod or iPad!
Latchis Hotel in Brattleboro, Vermont Photo by Joel Shprentz
Brattleboro is a funky little community in southern Vermont that has made a name for itself as an arts magnet.
The Latchis Hotel and Theatre, an art deco gem built in 1938, is at the hub of a cultural renaissance overtaking Brattleboro. The Latchis is located at the center of downtown Brattleboro, just across the bridge from the famous Brattleboro Food Coop. There are boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, art galleries and a biweekly farmer’s market right there.
We got to spend a night at the Latchis, and see a movie in one of the four theatres in the building. How cool is that?
In addition to the theatres, the complex at the corner of Flat and Main includes a pub, micro-brewery, restaurant space, and retail storefronts.
Everything in Vegas has a promo code or can be comped so I was surprised how hard it was to find discount tickets for the Penn & Teller show when we were in Las Vegas last summer. Eventually, I tracked down a discount code on Travelzoo, but it was not as good the 2-for-1 deal as that Southwest Airlines is offering its passengers.Penn & Teller are illusionists extraordinaire — and their show combines humor, magic, and libertarian political philosophy. Their shtick is to demonstrate how magic tricks are done. Penn does all the talking and Teller is mostly mute.
We got this book for my father-in-law to read on the plane when he travelled to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Molvania is available in used condition from Amazon.com for the truly incredible price of just one cent, plus $3.99 for shipping.
The book is by Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner and is published by Jetlag Travel Guides.
In format and page layout, this inspired send-up of a travel guide looks exactly like the real thing, and it displays an acute feel for all the clichés of the genre. —New Yorker on Molvania
Subsequent Jetlag Travel guides spoof Phaic Tăn, a nation in Southeast Asia, and San Sombrèro in Latin America (A Land of Carnivals, Cocktails and Coups).
On a less frivolous note, adventurous travelers may want to check out New Girl in the Air’s trip report on the beautiful countries of Slovenia and Croatia.
Part 3: Tarrytown House Estate & Conference Center, Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown House Estate
My husband grew up in Irvington-on-Hudson, one of those cute little river towns about 20 miles north of New York City. His family lived in a development of mid-century modern homes just up the hill from Washington Irving’s Sunnyside home.
Irvington and its neighbor Tarrytown make a good base for exploring the Hudson River valley. Scenic views, historical reenactments, art, and hiking opportunities abound, with attractions that will appeal to children and adults. Tarrytown is easily accessible by car and by train, making this a great region for a weekend getaway.
Sometimes when we visited family in Irvington, we would get a Priceline room, most often ending up in the 2.5 star Hampton Inn in Elmsford, NY.
This property is a 26-acre full service resort with several historic mansions and cottages, beautifully landscaped grounds, a magnificent view of the Tappan Zee bridge. There are numerous recreational opportunities on site. Several low-rise buildings discreetly sited on the property constitute the conference center.
In April, we stopped in Hershey, Pennsylvania for a day to break up a road trip from New England to Virginia. We had visited the amusement park ten years ago, and wanted to explore other three different attractions on this trip.
First up was the free tour of the fake “Chocolate Factory,” because we love corny rides, factory tours, and chocolate!
The Chocolate Factory is a Disney-style animated ride that tells the story of how chocolate is produced from the growing the cocoa beans to producing Hershey Kisses. On a Saturday morning, we were able to walk right in without a wait. The ride in little carts through the “factory” was lots of fun. The ride ended with a free sample and let us off in a gigantic chocolate gift shop with all manner of Hershey candy.
We are just back from a camping and rafting trip to Green River, Utah. The scenery was spectacular.
New vistas and interesting rock formations greeted us at each bend in the river.
This formation is named for the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, but we thought it looked more like Bart Simpson!
Nefertiti Beach in Green River, Utah Photo by Joel Shprentz
There are a number of well-preserved petroglyphs in the area near Nefertiti beach and sometimes you can spot bighorn sheep.
Further down river is Swasey’s Beach — an expanse of fine white sand shaded by cottonwood trees. It’s a beautiful spot for a family picnic. Just remember to bring pails so the kids can build sand castles.
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